The passing of 2013 has seen another nine of my male family members and friends dying of prostate and colon cancer and diabetes. It is with this in mind that this article is written as a follow-up to another, “Men urged to get checkups,” published in the March 15, 2012 issue of The BVI Beacon.
The outpouring of gratitude from many who read that article in 2012 was encouraging. So many stopped me to let me know that they had taken my advice and gone for a medical checkup. Yet many did not have the courage to do so. Hence this reminder.
Since 1980, my annual medical checks have been a priority. Because of that strict regimen, my condition, prostate cancer, was detected and neutralised within months. Because the cancer was caught and treated at an early stage, my dose of radiotherapy was minimal.
After that treatment, which was given for 15 minutes daily for two and a half months, I was cancer-free. I also have been a type two diabetic since 1995, but with frequent medical checks, a healthy lifestyle and medication, I am living a healthy and active life.
I share my experience with the hope that people, especially men, understand that we all have control of our lives, and having a medical condition does not necessarily have to take away from the quality of one’s life — nor does it mean the end of one’s days.
Prevention, which comes in the form of a healthy lifestyle, should always be the first choice, followed by regular health checks and following doctor’s instructions and guidelines if necessary.
I recently found out about the dad of a close friend who was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer at age 85. Because of his refusal to have regular health checks and the constant ignoring of the symptoms, there is not much that can be done medically. Because he is a strong person, with good care and a healthy diet, he can still enjoy a fairly comfortable life for a period of time, but if he had taken regular checks and the cancer was caught early, that time may have been longer and much more comfortable.
If I could save just one life by writing this article, I am grateful. We have to stop the cycle of men’s refusal to see a doctor so that the future generations can live longer, healthier and more productive lives.
Women generally take their health more seriously than men. They visit the doctor at the first sign of any symptoms, or even without any symptoms. So I am calling on the women to encourage the men to be more vigilant with their health. And to men all around the world, especially black men, get your yearly health checks, especially when you are approaching middle age.
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